[Published in German in https://de.indymedia.org/node/497199 | Translated into Italian and published in https://lanemesi.noblogs.org/post/2025/03/10/a-proposito-delloperazione-repressiva-in-germania-e-austria-solidrieta-con-gli-anarchici-arrestati/] Translated to EN/ by Act for freedom now!
Solidarity with the imprisoned anarchists N. and M.!
About the repressive operation
No, it wasn’t a carneval committee, that of the 26th of February 2025 which presented itself in eight different localities at around10pm, with 140 clowns in masks flaunting weapons and performing pathetic sketches. No, they were cops. And no, their exaggerated spectacle was anything but amusing, because it led to the arrest of our anarchist comrades M. and N.
Below, we are reporting more details about the searches, the arrests and the preliminary proceedings.
Two arrests, three preliminary proceedings
There are three different procedures:
– The procedure, known since 2022, is against the presumed editors of Zündlumpen [ndt. German language anarchist paper published between 2019 and 2021] on charges of criminal association. The arrest warrant for M. and N. was issued during this procedure. Those under investigation in this investigatory strand are three in all (then they became four, now they are three again). More information in these two texts: About raids and a §129 procedure against anarchists and the theft of a printing space and The persecution of anarchists and cigarette butts in the Bavarian-Christian kingdom 2022.
– The new procedure against M. and N. is for incendiary attacks. Although there is currently only suspicion which, according to the press, would not be sufficient to obtain an arrest warrant. The specific charges are reported here / qui.
– The procedure that emerged from the searches a week ago which contests the paper “Hetzblatt gegen den Windpark” [“agitation paper against the Windpark”] with the accusation of “encouragement of /condoning of crimes”. As far as we know, those accused in the procedure are four, among whom M. and N.
The investigation of incendiary attacks is being carried out by “EG Raute” [translator’s note: “Ermittlungsgruppe Raute” is a special squad founded in 2023 and composed of about 20 investigators to investigate the numerous destructive direct actions, particularly fires, which have been continuing in the Bavarian region for some time. “Raute” in German means “rhombus/diamond”, which is the geometric figure on the Bavarian flag.] Diamond? Yes, diamond. It involves the defence of the Bavarian coat of arms. In the light of the “series” of incendiary attacks that has been continuous in Munich and Upper Bavaria, the Bavarian coat of arms risks being sullied. After all, Bavaria is the safest federal state of Germany. That is why over 20 cops of the “EG Raute” have been working for some time to safeguard Bavaria’s reputation and capture the “incendiaries”. Some newspapers have reported up to 50 fires in Munich and Upper Bavaria against construction and forest machinery, important infrastructures, etc.
The fact that during these years the cops have not managed to get any result puts them under great pressure. To make things worse is the fact, according to the press, that the cops never manage to find any useful evidence… apart from some footprint! But as these are Bavarian cops and not princes in love in the fairytale of Cinderella, they seem to be rather impatient to find the right foot… and with the arrest of M. and N. have finally been able to show the press a presumed investigative result, even if in reality the arrest warrant was emitted in the context of a different procedure, known for years, the titles in the newspapers, all the same, are completely in line with this show: “The arsonists arrested”, “Preoccupying series of fires: first arrests” with articles decorated with beautiful photographs of the film squad recently up in flames (although M. and N. are not accused of this specific act) [ndt. the reference is to the burning of 23 vehicles of the canine police, parked in the central cop station car park and completely destroyed during the night of January 25, 2025.] .
As a whole this latest repressive wave belongs to a wider context of attack against the Munich anarchists, for which the ZET [Zentralstelle zur Bekämpfung von Extremismus und Terrorismus – Central direction for the struggle against extremism and terrorism] of the Public prosecutor’s office of Munich, instituted a few years ago, has unleashed not only the two new procedures for incendiary attacks, and apologia of offences already known, but also that now in course against the presumed editorial group of the paper Zündlumpen, following which the anarchist library Frevel has been shut down, a whole printing press has been confiscated, and many other places raided. Moreover the ZET has launched an international investigation for incendiary attacks concerning anarchists of other countries in contact with the anarchists of Munich (see More on the house searches in Brussels and Amsterdam). It seems that the Bavarian authorities have given themselves the objective of preventing the publishing of anarchist publications, closing anarchists spaces and repressing both the anarchists themselves, and their social surroundings.
The new investigation against the paper “Hetzblatt gegen den Windpark” with the accusation of “encouraging/approving crimes”, concerns the raids that have taken place in coordination with the arrests and searches in the ambit of the procedure for incendiary attacks. The single issue “Hetzblatt gegen den Windpark” is directed against the realisation of a windfarm project in a forest near Altötting, which foresees the deforestation of a vast area. The site will be a guarantee for the chemical industry of Altötting. Most of the house searches have been carried out against those under investigation in the ambit of this procedure.
The nonchalance with which the Munich judges are signing search warrants has become clear from the fact that all the rooms of the residences have been searched, and some of the searches have been directed exclusively against potential witnesses. Has that ever happened before? (The various presumed witnesses have also received a subpoena from the public prosecutor’s office, to give statements). As a matter of fact, the motivation justifying a house search being that those who received the warrant are “in contact” with people accused in a trial (for arson) is new to us.
In the police stations of Munich the threshold for repressive measures is once again being lowered – the desired effect is obvious: intimidation and isolation.
Nine searches
Altogether nine searches have been carried out, three of which were in Austria (including a group premises) and the other six (including a cellar) in Munich and the surrounding area. The first eight all took place at the same time. The search of a property of a presumed witness in Austria took place two days later (and has not been reported in the press). The searches in Austria were carried out exclusively by Austrian police. On March 6th 2025 one person under investigation and a presumed witness have had their homes searched again in order to seize mobile phones that hadn’t already been confiscated.
During the raids in Germany the cops used rams and various other instruments in order to force their way into the apartments. The search warrants were not shown immediately, contact with lawyers was forbidden, and the people involved were not allowed to be present during the searches. Basically the usual objects such as computers, memory sticks, newspapers and anarchist posters were confiscated, as well as tools and some printers. Notebooks, calendars and practically anything that could be photographed was photographed. The people affected were not allowed to see what had been taken. They just received the confiscation reports. During the searches dogs were used for seeking certain material, including data mediums.
In one house in the Munich region, the USK [Unterstützungskommando – Bavarian special forces] directed a carnivalesque theatre piece, acting out its whole repertory: the house, in which there were only two people, was surrounded by 50-70 masked cops and stormed with machine guns. Then the cops illuminated the entire building with spotlights and searched the garden with metal detectors. They also had a technical lorry with them (whatever that was for).
Solidarity
The imprisoned anarchists N. and M. will be happy to receive letters! Send them letters, postcards. To N. texts in German, English and French, to M. in German and English.
M. is in the male prison of Stadelheim, N. has been transferred to the women’s prison of Aichach.
The postal address can be obtained on request by sending an email to solidaritaet-mit-n-und-m @ riseup.net.
Bear in mind that the letters will undoubtedly be read by nosy cops and prosecutors. Solidarity can be expressed in many ways!
The Bavarian prisons, and in particular institutions for pre-trial imprisonment, are infamous for their particularly restrictive detention regimes. It is therefore very important that the prisoners know that they are not alone and that we are thinking of them.
However we don’t want to launch any kind of solidarity campaign which at times would run the risk of only demanding the release of individual prisoners and of disconnecting this case from wider struggles.
We believe that the best kind of solidarity is that of giving continuity to the struggles of those who find themselves in prison and of carrying on our struggles against the prison society.
Our prisoner comrades must be present in our struggles. Through our solidarity we mean to overcome the isolation they are confined in.
Let’s demonstrate with words and actions, love and rage, that we have them in our hearts and that the State cannot destroy or repress our relationships and our ideas!
Love and strength to the anarchists M. and N. imprisoned in Stadelheim!
Eternal hatred to the State and its clowns!
PS: To all the guardians of the State (SS) [Staatsschützler]: Whoever is reading this is an idiot.
PPS: What is green outside and empty inside? Spring onions.